Sophia Flores

Sophia Flores is an acclaimed Latina classical saxophonist and music educator. Flores is celebrated for her expressive musicality, passionate lyricism, and distinctive artistry; she captivates audiences with performances that are vibrant, melodious, and deeply evocative.

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As a prominent voice in the classical music world, Sophia is widely recognized for her solo recitals and community collaborations throughout California, with invitations from The Pacific Club, Newport Public Library, Holocaust Museum of Los Angeles, Boston Court Pasadena, Noontime Concert Series, the Crocker Art Museum, Loyola Law School Orchestra, and many more. She has performed as a soloist and chamber musician at the Navy Band Saxophone Symposium in Fairfax, Virginia, and the North American Saxophone Alliance Region 2 Conference in Fullerton, California. Her recent projects include a touring saxophone and piano duo with acclaimed pianist Andrew Edwards; their concert program, I Never Saw Another Butterfly, was presented across multiple venues and featured music by composers blacklisted during the Holocaust. As part of this program, Flores and Edwards also gave the world premiere of Timothy Maggs’ arrangement of Farewell My Krakow. Flores was additionally featured on the world-premiere of Otherworldly by Chilean-American composer Jaime Azcárraga, and became an on-call member of the Los Angeles Soundscape Orchestra.

 

Sophia has recently received notable recognitions including, winning the Concordia Wind Orchestra Concerto Competition, receiving the Outstanding Master of Music Graduate of Instrumental Music Award from the USC Thornton School of Music, and earning First Place at the Charleston International Autumn Music Festival in 2025. Flores has been prominently featured at The Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Irvine Barclay Theatre, PBS, Fox News, and ABC News, presenting her artistry to diverse audiences. She has performed under the baton of distinguished conductors, including Michael Haithcock, Gary Hill, Peter Boonshaft, Carl St. Clair, and Anthony Parnther, and has appeared as a soloist under Cynthia Johnston Turner and Frank Ticheli.

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As an educator, Sophia has served on faculty for the Lutheran Summer Music Festival in Valparaiso, Indiana, and the Concordia University Chamber Music Festival in Irvine, California, where she continues to inspire young musicians through her commitment to artistry and education. She maintains a successful private saxophone studio and teaches middle school band in the Natomas Unified School District in Sacramento, California.

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Sophia earned her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education and Saxophone Performance, along with a Single Subject Music Teaching Credential, from Concordia University Irvine, and obtained her Master of Music in Saxophone Performance at the University of Southern California. Now based in Sacramento, California, Sophia continues to perform throughout the state as a soloist, chamber musician, and clinician. Guided by a deep belief in music’s power to communicate, connect, and transform, she strives to share the beauty of classical saxophone everywhere she performs. Recognizing that the art of classical saxophone remains underrepresented on the West Coast, she is devoted to cultivating its presence within this community to ensure it continues to thrive and touch the hearts of audiences all around the world.